ACC's 2027 order of finish: Duke on top, but Miami and Louisville lurk
Duke is the consensus favorite to win the ACC for 2026-27, according to www.cbssports.com, and the reasons start with continuity and depth.
The Blue Devils are led by fifth-year coach Jon Scheyer, who has the makings of another deep tournament run after back-to-back disappointing endings, including a loss to UConn in the Elite Eight. Per CBS Sports, Duke has arguably the deepest roster in the sport, a claim backed by the presence of Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje, CBS Sports' ACC Freshman of the Year pick.
The 2027 NCAA Tournament expands from 68 to 76 teams, per the source, which could boost the ACC's bid count this spring after the conference sent eight teams to the Big Dance in 2026. That expansion, combined with Duke's returning core, positions the Blue Devils as the team to beat.
The exact projected order of finish beyond Duke being the consensus favorite is not specified in the source, leaving the chase pack open for debate.
MIAMI AND LOUISVILLE LURK
Duke isn't the only ACC team expected to contend in 2027, per CBS Sports. Miami, under second-year coach Jai Lucas, has its best roster since the program reached the Final Four in 2023.
Louisville spent big this offseason after losing in the second round of the NCAA Tournament to Michigan State. Specific offseason additions for the Cardinals are not detailed in the source. What is clear: the Cardinals haven't made it out of the first weekend of the Big Dance since 2015.
Both teams are expected to challenge the Blue Devils, according to the source. The timing helps. The conference sent eight teams to the NCAA Tournament in 2026, up from just four in 2025, and with the field expanding from 68 to 76 teams in 2027, the ACC's bid count could climb again.
That depth of bids means a strong regular season matters more than ever for the teams chasing Duke. Miami brings back its most talented group in years, while Louisville's spending signals an immediate push rather than a rebuild. The gap between the favorite and the field may be narrower than the consensus suggests.
NORTH CAROLINA'S NEW ERA
North Carolina had a wild offseason that included firing Hubert Davis, according to CBS Sports. The Tar Heels then hired former Nuggets and Kings coach Michael Malone, a significant swing for a program used to stability.
Malone brings an NBA pedigree but zero head-coaching experience at the college level. That combination makes Chapel Hill one of the hardest teams in the conference to project.
Eyes will be on North Carolina this season, per the source, though specific expectations for the Tar Heels' finish are not stated. What is known is that the ACC race just got deeper, and the expanded tournament field could give the conference more margin for error.
The 2027 NCAA Tournament will expand from 68 to 76 teams, according to the source. That could increase the ACC's number of bids this spring, softening the blow for any team that stumbles in the regular season.
For North Carolina, the stakes are simple: a new coach, a new system and no clear read on where they land. Whether Malone's NBA experience translates to the college game is the biggest unknown in the league.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
The individual honors in the ACC start with Virginia's Thijs De Ridder, who is CBS Sports' preseason ACC Player of the Year. The 23-year-old forward put up 15.6 points, 6.2 rebounds and 1.6 assists as a freshman at Virginia, and he checks in at 6-foot-9.
De Ridder's path to Charlottesville ran through Europe, where he played for Bilbao Basket from 2023-25 and Antwerp Giants from 2020-23. He played as big a role as anyone in helping Virginia reach the 30-win mark for the first time since the 2018-19 campaign, and expectations are even higher for him this season.
At Duke, freshman center Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje is the ACC Freshman of the Year pick and has a strong case as the best future NBA prospect in college basketball. But the Duke big man won't be eligible for the 2027 NBA Draft due to the age requirement, meaning he'll play at least two seasons of college basketball after coming over from FC Barcelona.
No other player of the year candidates or all-conference teams are mentioned in the source.
WHAT TO WATCH NEXT
The 2027 NCAA Tournament will expand from 68 to 76 teams, according to www.cbssports.com. That extra room could boost the ACC's bid count this spring after the conference sent eight teams to the Big Dance in 2026.
Duke enters as the consensus favorite again, but the Blue Devils carry urgency after back-to-back disappointing endings, including a loss to UConn in the Elite Eight. A deeper run is the goal for fifth-year coach Jon Scheyer and arguably the deepest roster in the sport.
Miami and Louisville will look to challenge Duke throughout the ACC season. The Hurricanes, under second-year coach Jai Lucas, have their best roster since reaching the 2023 Final Four. The Cardinals spent big this offseason after a second-round NCAA Tournament exit to Michigan State, though they haven't advanced past the first weekend of the Big Dance since 2015.
North Carolina's performance under new coach Michael Malone will be closely watched. The former Nuggets and Kings coach has zero head-coaching experience at the college level, making his transition one of the league's biggest storylines.
Exact dates for the 2026-27 season or tournament have not been provided in the source. What is clear is that the expanded field, Duke's title ambitions and the challengers lining up behind them give the ACC a compelling spring ahead.
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